Metallized textiles and process for manufacturing same

Abstract

The present invention provides a textile metallized on at least one of its faces comprising a textile layer of inorganic fibers and a metallic layer, the textile being characterized in that the connection between the textile layer and the metallic layer is provided by a polymeric intermediate layer formed by a matrix having at least one coupling polymer in which at least one flame retardant agent is distributed, said coupling polymer being bonded by chemical bonds firstly to the textile layer and secondly to the metallic layer. The present invention also provides the method of fabricating this metallized textile.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A textile metallized on at least one of its faces, the textile comprising:
 a textile layer of inorganic fibers, and 
 a metallic layer, 
 wherein a connection between the textile layer and the metallic layer is provided by a polymeric intermediate layer formed by a matrix having at least one coupling polymer in which at least one flame retardant agent is distributed, 
 wherein said coupling polymer is bonded by chemical bonds to the textile layer and to the metallic layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the chemical bonds existing between the coupling polymer and the textile layer, and chemical bonds existing between the coupling polymer and the metallic layer, are covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, or polar bonds. 
     
     
       3. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the textile is a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a grid of glass fibers. 
     
     
       4. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal constituting the metallic layer is aluminum. 
     
     
       5. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the chemical bonds existing firstly between the coupling polymer and the textile layer, and between the coupling polymer and the metal layer, are provided by M-OH functions carried by the polymer layer, or by O-M-O covalent bridges, where M=Al, Zr, Ti, or Si. 
     
     
       6. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric intermediate layer is constituted by one or more polymers having reactive functions selected from the following monovalent or divalent groups: hydroxy, carboxylic acid, amine, amide, acid anhydride, isocyanate, epoxy, caprolactam, and carbodimide. 
     
     
       7. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric intermediate layer is a polymer selected from: polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyolefins, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       8. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant agent represents 20% to 25% by weight of the weight of the polymeric layer. 
     
     
       9. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling polymer represents 1% to 25% by weight of the total weight of the metallized textile. 
     
     
       10. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , having a reflecting portion of solar radiation index greater than, or equal to, 70%. 
     
     
       11. The metallized textile according to  claim 1 , wherein the metallic layer is covered in a varnish in order to avoid oxidation and/or corrosion of the metallic layer, the varnish representing less than 1% by weight of the weight of the textile. 
     
     
       12. A method of fabricating a metallized textile according to  claim 1 , the method comprising the following successive steps:
 a) preparing a solution or a dispersion including at least one flame retardant agent, and a coupling polymer or a mixture of coupling polymers, said coupling polymer or said mixture of coupling polymers carrying coupling functions capable of making chemical bonds between the polymer and the inorganic textile fibers, and coupling functions capable of making chemical bonds between the polymer and the metal, which functions may be identical or different; 
 b) sizing one of the faces of the inorganic fiber textile layer with the solution or dispersion prepared in step a); 
 c) applying heat treatment serving to fix the coupling polymer chemically to the surface of the textile layer so as to fix an intermediate polymer layer on the textile layer; and 
 d) metallizing at least a portion of the previously treated surface by depositing metal vapor under low pressure, thereby forming chemical bonds between the intermediate polymer layer and the metal layer that is formed. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the solution or dispersion prepared in step a) is made with 1% to 10% of a coupling agent, 50% to 80% of a reactive function polymer, 5% to 40% of a flame retardant agent, and 0.1% to 10% of a formulation agent, these percentages being given for dry matter relative to the total weight of the dry matter corresponding to the prepared solution or dispersion. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the coupling agent is selected from the group consisting of silanes, titanates, zirconates, aluminates, and organochromium complexes. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the coupling agent is selected from organosilanes carrying one to three OH or alkoxy functions, and at least an organic portion R possessing a function enabling them to be covalently grafted to the polymer having reactive functions. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein step d) is followed by a step of depositing a varnish on the surface of the metallized layer in order to avoid at least one of oxidizing and corroding of the surface of the metallized layer. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein step b) is preceded by an operation of dyeing the textile layer, leaving the textile fibers of the textile layer accessible for bonding with the coupling polymer. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein step b) is preceded by an operation of dyeing the textile layer, leaving the textile fibers of the textile layer accessible for bonding with the coupling polymer, said dyeing operation being performed by treating the textile layer with a dyeing formulation leading to a textile layer including 0.5% to 1% dry matter of the dye formulation.